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(No Model.)

W..D. 'DORE1VIUS. MAIL BAG FASTENER AND TAG HOLDER.

No. 297,509. Patented Apr. 22, 1884.

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. iJNiTE STATES FFIQEO ATENT WILLARD D. DOREMUS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T O FRANK HODGES AND ALBERT L. PITNEY, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

MAIL-BAG FASTENER AND TAG-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,509, dated April 22, 1884. Application filed March 3|, 1884. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,WILLARD D. DoREMUs,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have 5 invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Fasteners and Tag-Holders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein-to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in mail-bag fasteners and tag or label holders.

The object of my invention is to provide a device for securing the mouths of mail-bags in a closed position, and at the same time providemeans for holding the tag or label; and

to this end my invention consists of a plate having in its upper surface a recess for receiving the tag or label, while the under side of said plate is provided with lugs, through which the fastening cord or rope passes, and

also with lugs to which eccentric levers are pivoted, for holding the cord or rope against the under sideof the plate, the levers being joined at their outer ends by a cross-bar, which closes the open end of the tag-receiving recess when said lovers are depressed to clamp the rope, and thus prevent the tag or label from dropping out of its place in the plate.

Referring to the drawings, Figurel is a top or plan view of my device. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line a; a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation with the clamping-levers raised. Fig. L is an end view.

A is a plate, of metal or other suitable material, the uppersurfaee of which is provided with a dovetailed cavity, D, for receiving and holding a tag or label, C, on which the name of the city, town, or other point of destination of the sack or pouch is printed. The under side of the plate is provided with a projecting lug, D, provided with an aperture or apertures, through which the cord or rope is passed, as shown. so as to form aloop or noose, 5 F,which surrounds or embraces the gathered end of the sack. The plate A'may be provided with projections D at each end, with apertures for holding the rope or cord; but for ordinary purposes one will be found sufficient. The plate A is also provided with a lug or projection, G, on its under side, to which are pivoted the eccentric levers Hone on each side of the platesaid levers being provided with eccentric offsets or cavities, which admit of the rope or cord bein passed between them and the under surface of the plate when the levers are in a raised or elevated position. (Shown in Fig. 3.) The outer ends of the levers H are connected by a suitable cross-bar, I, which, when the levers are depressed to hold the rope or cord, closes the open end of the dovetailed cavity B and prevents the tag or label from dropping out.

Instead of having a separate crossbar to connect the ends of the levers H, the levers, with the cross-bar, maybe made in one piece, as shown. projections formed on the inside of the levers H, and are serrated, as shown, to prevent the rope from slipping.

A lug may be formed on theend of the plate A,to prevent the cross-bar I from being pressed down too far, so as to uncover the open end of the dovetailed cavity and allow the tag to drop out; or a spring-catch may be used to hold the cross-bar and levers in position.

The operation of my device is as follows: The outer ends of the levers H being raised, as shown in Fig. 3, both ends of the cord or rope are passed through the openings rain the lug D, and over the cams or eccentrics d on the levers H, so as to form a loop or noose, F, in which the mouth of the sack is placed. The operator then places the proper label or tag into the dovetailed cavity B, and pulls on the free ends of the rope until the mouth of the bag is drawn up tight against the lug or projection D. The operator,with his other hand, now forces the ends of the levers down until the cross-bar passes down close over the end of the plate and holds the tag or label securely in the cavity in the top of the plate A, while at the same time the eccentrics or cams d are brought in contact with the rope E, clamping said rope or cord against the under side of the plate A, which may also be roughened or serrated to hold the rope more securely.

d are the eccentric or cam-like By this construction it will be noticed that I produce a simple, cheap, and efficient fastener for the mouths of mail-bags, and at the same time provide means for holding and car-- rying the label or tag.

Having thus described myinvention,what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

1. In a combined mailbag fastener and tag or label holder, a plate provided with a dovetailed recess to receive the tag or label, and two levers provided with eccentrics or cams pivoted thereto, and adapted to clamp the rope or cord, the outer ends of the levers being connected by a cross-bar, which, when the device is in use, closes the end of the tag holding recess to hold the tag or label in its proper place, as set forth.

2. In a mail-bag fastener, a plate having a tag-holding recess, and perforated lugs for the passage therethrough of cords or ropes, and having pivoted thereto eccentric levers, over which the cord or rope passes, and adapted to hold said rope in contact with the plate, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLARD D. DOREMUS.

\Vitn esses:

M. O. HOOKER, CHAS. E. DIEMAR. 

